Lamar is picked eighth in Southland Conference poll

Published 10:09 am, Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Photo: Jake Daniels

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Lamar's Xavier Bethany gets a hug from Coach Ray Woodard after the Cardinals' turn at the Southland Conference media day dais Wednesday afternoon. The Southland Conference held their annual football media day at the L'Auberge Resort in Lake Charles on Wednesday. Lamar University was represented by Coach Ray Woodard, wide receiver Reggie Begelton, and defensive back Xavier Bethany.
Photo taken Wednesday 7/29/15
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Lamar's Xavier Bethany gets a hug from Coach Ray Woodard after the Cardinals' turn at the Southland Conference media day dais Wednesday afternoon. The Southland Conference held their annual football media day ... more

Photo: Jake Daniels

Lamar is picked eighth in Southland Conference poll

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Lamar University head football coach Woodard tweeted out a photo July 29 of his media day badge spelled 'Woodward' while his Cardinals, a year removed from the best program finish since its revival in 2010, were selected to finish eighth in the preseason Southland Conference polls.

Woodard, speaking at the Southland Conference media day in Lake Charles, Louisiana, said the polls will provide "some locker room material" for the Cardinals, who finished 5-3 in conference play after also being selected eighth in the 2014 preseason poll.

Needless to say, after a third place finish last year, Woodard isn't feeling the love from the SLC.

"We've got a lot of very good, established programs in this league and it's very tough to crack that, but we did do that last year and obviously where we're picked, not many people think we can do it again and we'll be able to use that at the right time," Woodward said.

Woodard's views were echoed by junior all-conference safety Xavier Bethany, who believed the preseason polls, conducted by league coaches and sports information directors, failed to give Lamar credit for last year's performance.

"It's motivation," Bethany said. "We have no respect right now and we're going to work to do something this season. We'll see where we are in the polls by the end of the season and how we stand."

Senior wide receiver Reggie Begelton said respect within the conference has to be earned over time.

He pointed to Sam Houston State, which was picked first in the preseason polls for the fourth time in the last five seasons, as a program that has already garnered the respect Lamar wants.

"It's nothing but polls," Begelton said. "The season hasn't started yet. We just have to come out and show everybody that we're ready to go again."

Woodard feels like last year was just the beginning of something great, noting he thinks "our best football is still ahead of us."

If Woodard can get the extra 'w' out of his misspelled media day badge and add it to the 2015 win total, Lamar will be in good shape.

"We're very proud of what we accomplished that year but we can't live off that," Woodard said. "Where we end up is what we have control over."